15 steps to protect your focus (and achieve deep work):
Eliminate Distractions
Close social media, silence notifications, and keep your phone out of sight.
It’s impossible to produce quality work if your attention is being pulled in a million different directions.
Block off 4 hours every day to be completely free of distraction.
Close social media, silence notifications, and keep your phone out of sight.
It’s impossible to produce quality work if your attention is being pulled in a million different directions.
Block off 4 hours every day to be completely free of distraction.
Reduce Multitasking
We often feel productive by juggling multiple tasks.
But the opposite is true.
Multitasking is a recipe for:
• Poor focus
• Bad concentration
• Reduced productivity
Multitasking means screwing up several things at once.
Focus on one task at a time.
We often feel productive by juggling multiple tasks.
But the opposite is true.
Multitasking is a recipe for:
• Poor focus
• Bad concentration
• Reduced productivity
Multitasking means screwing up several things at once.
Focus on one task at a time.
Practice Mindfulness and Meditate
Set aside 5 minutes a day to sit with your eyes closed.
When you get distracted by a thought, practice bringing your attention back to your breath.
Stillness is a superpower.
Set aside 5 minutes a day to sit with your eyes closed.
When you get distracted by a thought, practice bringing your attention back to your breath.
Stillness is a superpower.
Get More Sleep
Being awake for 20 hours is similar to being drunk.
You wouldn't expect yourself to focus while hammered.
Entrepreneurs are athletes.
You need solid rest to be at peak performance.
Set a bedtime and get 8 hours of sleep.
Being awake for 20 hours is similar to being drunk.
You wouldn't expect yourself to focus while hammered.
Entrepreneurs are athletes.
You need solid rest to be at peak performance.
Set a bedtime and get 8 hours of sleep.
Choose to Focus on the Moment
It’s impossible to concentrate when your mind is:
• In the past
• Worrying about the future
To produce quality work, you must be present and focused on the task.
The point of power is always in the present moment.
It’s impossible to concentrate when your mind is:
• In the past
• Worrying about the future
To produce quality work, you must be present and focused on the task.
The point of power is always in the present moment.
Learn to Take Breaks
When you begin to feel stuck, take a brief step away.
Our brains can't handle constant stimulation.
Take a walk, have a coffee, or call a friend.
When you return, deep work will come naturally.
When you begin to feel stuck, take a brief step away.
Our brains can't handle constant stimulation.
Take a walk, have a coffee, or call a friend.
When you return, deep work will come naturally.
Connect With Nature
Nature is the greatest mentor.
Humans were not meant to sit inside staring at a screen all day.
• Get sunlight in your eyes
• Observe plants in a garden
• Go on walks without technology
Find time to connect with nature.
Nature is the greatest mentor.
Humans were not meant to sit inside staring at a screen all day.
• Get sunlight in your eyes
• Observe plants in a garden
• Go on walks without technology
Find time to connect with nature.
Train Your Brain
Instead of mindlessly scrolling social media, take time to play brain training games.
• Solve a puzzle
• Play chess or sudoku
• Figure out a Rubik's Cube
Games enhance your short-term memory, which will improve concentration and focus.
Instead of mindlessly scrolling social media, take time to play brain training games.
• Solve a puzzle
• Play chess or sudoku
• Figure out a Rubik's Cube
Games enhance your short-term memory, which will improve concentration and focus.
Exercise
Fluid intelligence starts decreasing at the age of 25 for the rest of your life.
The only way to stave this off:
Exercise.
Do 3 rounds of ~30 minutes of cardio a week for enhanced blood flow and circulation to your brain.
Fluid intelligence starts decreasing at the age of 25 for the rest of your life.
The only way to stave this off:
Exercise.
Do 3 rounds of ~30 minutes of cardio a week for enhanced blood flow and circulation to your brain.
Eat Well
Avoid carbs in the morning while doing your most focused work.
Consuming carbs raises serotonin, which will put you into a drowsy state.
Instead, eat protein and fats throughout the day, and save carbs for the evening.
Uplevel your concentration and focus
Avoid carbs in the morning while doing your most focused work.
Consuming carbs raises serotonin, which will put you into a drowsy state.
Instead, eat protein and fats throughout the day, and save carbs for the evening.
Uplevel your concentration and focus
Listen to Music
Music has been shown to have therapeutic effects on our brains.
Light background music without lyrics can also help you concentrate better.
Throw on Hans Zimmer’s Interstellar or Dark Knight soundtrack, and get in the zone.
Music has been shown to have therapeutic effects on our brains.
Light background music without lyrics can also help you concentrate better.
Throw on Hans Zimmer’s Interstellar or Dark Knight soundtrack, and get in the zone.
Set a Daily Priority
Write down what you want to accomplish each day, the night before.
Doing so helps you determine what is most important.
Identifying true priorities can help relieve anxiety.
And achieving small daily goals wires your brain for success.
Write down what you want to accomplish each day, the night before.
Doing so helps you determine what is most important.
Identifying true priorities can help relieve anxiety.
And achieving small daily goals wires your brain for success.
Use a Timer
According to Parkinson’s Law, work expands to fill the time allotted to it.
You can use this to your advantage.
Pick a task, set a time, and concentrate fully on the task.
You'll execute quicker than you thought you could before.
According to Parkinson’s Law, work expands to fill the time allotted to it.
You can use this to your advantage.
Pick a task, set a time, and concentrate fully on the task.
You'll execute quicker than you thought you could before.
Switch Tasks
While we may want to concentrate solely on one task, sometimes we get stuck.
When this happens, it's important to give our brain something fresh to focus on.
Switching tasks can help you reset and stay alert for a longer period of time.
While we may want to concentrate solely on one task, sometimes we get stuck.
When this happens, it's important to give our brain something fresh to focus on.
Switching tasks can help you reset and stay alert for a longer period of time.
Want to go deeper?
I run a (FREE) Workshop in 8 days to help you scale your content and focus on what's most important for audience growth.
I'll be giving away a $449 Content Monetization Guide for free.
I'd love to see you there 👇
mattgray.xyz
I run a (FREE) Workshop in 8 days to help you scale your content and focus on what's most important for audience growth.
I'll be giving away a $449 Content Monetization Guide for free.
I'd love to see you there 👇
mattgray.xyz
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